Baltimore Orioles left-hander Cade Povich (hip) will make his first minor-league rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Norfolk, according to The Baltimore Sun's Matt Weyrich. It might only take Povich one or two rehab starts before he's activated from the 15-day injured list after initially being sidelined in the middle of June due to inflammation in his left hip. The 25-year-old southpaw has continued to struggle as a starter in the big leagues for the O's in his second year in the majors in 2025, posting a 2-5 record, 5.15 ERA (4.09 FIP) and 1.50 WHIP with 23 walks in 64 2/3 innings, but he has also fanned 68 in his 13 appearances (12 starts). It's possible that Povich will rejoin the starting rotation next week against the Texas Rangers, which would make him an intriguing deep-league streamer given the Rangers' offensive struggles.

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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop prospect Aidan Miller went hitless in five plate appearances for Double-A Reading on Wednesday, but drew three walks in the contest, collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly, and stole two bases. The Phils' top offensive prospect missed a week and a half with what was described as skin irritation, but has picked up where he left off, collecting hits and stolen bases in bunches. Over his last 15 games, seven have been two-hit performances while the other eight have been hitless efforts, and there have been four two-steal games in there as well. Although the batting average still sits at an uninspiring .239, the 2023 first-rounder has displayed an improved approach at the plate, walking 14 times compared to just 13 strikeouts during that stretch, good for a 20.3 percent walk rate and 18.8 percent strikeout rate. This is in contrast to the 11.9 percent walk rate and 28.4 percent strikeout rate he authored prior to this recent 15-game span. If he continues to show improvement, he could get a look at Triple-A before the season is out. With 60-grade power and the ability to steal bases (26 SB in 54 games so far in 2025), managers in dynasty formats should have a keen interest in Miller, and he could make a debut in the big leagues as soon as next season.

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The Los Angeles Angels optioned middle infielder Kyren Paris back to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday, according to the team. Paris was only up with the big-league club for three days and will now head back to the Bees, where he'll serve as middle-infield depth for the Halos. The 23-year-old is likely headed back to the farm after the Angels discovered that starting shortstop Zach Neto (shoulder) isn't dealing with any structural damage to his surgically-repaired right shoulder after aggravating it during a slide into second base on a steal attempt earlier this week. Paris' path to regular playing time at the big-league level in the second half of 2025 got more difficult after second base prospect Christian Moore received his first MLB call-up not long ago. It will likely take an injury to one of the team's infielders for Paris to get another shot.

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Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof (ribs) went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI, three runs scored and a walk in his latest minor-league rehab game on Wednesday with Triple-A Las Vegas in a 13-2 victory over Triple-A Albuquerque. Gelof had surgery on March 24 to fix a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist before being shut down in late April with a stress reaction in his ribs. The 25-year-old is getting closer to making his 2025 season debut, but he might require another week or so of rehab games first. In nine rehab games with the Aviators, he has hit .217 (5-for-23) with two doubles, two RBI, two steals and 10 run scored in 33 plate appearances. The former second-round pick has 20-20 potential and should be the A's starting second baseman when he returns, making him plenty useful in mixed fantasy leagues. Gelof has hit .231 but with 31 homers and 39 RBI in 207 games in his first two MLB seasons.

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Updating a previous report, X-rays on Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s right forearm came back negative after he was hit by a pitch from Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee in Thursday's series finale, according to the team. Guerrero went 0-for-1 in the contest with a groundout before leaving the ballgame as a precaution. Fantasy managers should consider the 26-year-old slugger to be day-to-day. There's a good chance that he'll be ready to return to action for Friday's series opener at Fenway Park against the division-rival Boston Red Sox. The four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner has the highest xBA in baseball at .327 and is in the 96th percentile in hard-hit rate and 98th percentile in xwOBA. Guerrero is a stud and should be in starting fantasy lineups whenever he's on the field.

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Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (forearm) left Thursday's game early against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field with a bruised right forearm after he was hit by a pitch from Kevin Gausman in the bottom of the fourth inning. J-Ram was pulled before going back on defense in the top of the fifth. The good news is that X-rays came back negative on his arm, so there's a good chance we'll see the 32-year-old All-Star back in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals. Before leaving, Ramirez was hitless in two plate appearance. Daniel Schneemann moved from second to third base, Angel Martinez moved from center to second, Lane Thomas moved from right to center, and Nolan Jones entered the game to play right field. Fantasy managers should check back on Ramirez to see if he's active on Friday.

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Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (hand, wrist) left Thursday's contest early in the bottom of the fourth inning at Progressive Field against the Cleveland Guardians after he was hit by a Tanner Bibee pitch on his left hand/wrist in the second inning, according to MLB.com's Tim Stebbins. Before leaving early, Guerrero went 0-for-1 at the plate with a groundout. Ernie Clement moved from shortstop to first base, with Andres Gimenez moving from second to short and Davis Schneider entering the game to play second. The Blue Jays should have an update soon on the 26-year-old All-Star's status soon after he likely undergoes X-rays. Fantasy managers will be holding their breathe until then, as Vladdy is one of the best all-around hitters in the game. He entered Thursday slashing .282/.387/.450 with an .837 OPS, 11 homers, 40 RBI and 48 runs scored.

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Detroit Tigers infield prospect Kevin McGonigle went 2-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run, four RBI, and three runs scored on Wednesday for High-A West Michigan. It's the Tigers' second-ranked prospect's second home run in his last three games, and he's been demolishing High-A pitching since coming off the injured list on May 21. The former 37th-overall draft pick is hitting .387 with 17 doubles and six home runs in only 27 games, boasting a .476 OBP thanks to a 14.3 percent walk rate, compared to striking out just 12.7 percent of the time. A 1.193 OPS should get him to Double-A soon, and with his superb contact skills, the 20-year-old could be knocking on the door to the majors at some point next year, while also bringing some power and speed along with him.

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Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski is expected to pitch in Sunday's series finale against the Kansas City Royals, but it's unclear if he'll be given the starting nod or if he'll serve in a bulk-relief role. The most likely outcome is that Wrobleski will pitch in bulk relief, as he's been more successful in that role with a 1.96 ERA and 0.87 WHIP with 19 strikeouts and only two walks in 18 1/3 innings. The 24-year-old southpaw is 3-2 in total in 29 1/3 innings pitched with a 4.91 ERA (3.76 FIP), 1.23 WHIP and 28:8 K:BB in his second year in the big leagues. Although Wrobleski does have higher-end velocity for a left-handed pitcher, fantasy managers should be able to find better deep-league streamers for Sunday's slate of action. He's gone at least 4 1/3 innings in each of his six big-league outings for L.A. this year. The Royals offense has the fourth-lowest OPS (.664) in baseball.

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Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (hamstring) ran the bases before Thursday's series finale against the visiting Seattle Mariners at Target Field and is scheduled to start a minor-league rehab assignment with the Triple-A St. Paul Saints on Friday, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale. It's unclear how long the 26-year-old's rehab assignment will last, but considering his history with hamstring injuries, it might be more than just a few games. Still, barring a setback for the oft-injured third baseman, Lewis should be back with the Twins as their starting third baseman before the mid-July All-Star break. Injuries continue to slow the former first overall pick, but there's no debating his high-end power plays when he's right. He's been a disappointment through 99 at-bats in 2025, hitting just .202 with two homers and nine RBI.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers activated reliever Luis Garcia (adductor) from the injured list on Thursday. Right-hander Will Klein was optioned as the corresponding move. Garcia has missed almost exactly one month since being placed on the IL with a right adductor strain. He's pitched to a 4.50 ERA and a 1.69 WHIP in 26 innings pitched so far this year. His peripherals aren't impressive either, as he's posted a modest 19.8% strikeout rate and a 4.85 xERA. Garcia is not a threat to compete for saves and does not need to be rostered in most leagues.

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Houston Astros right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (foot) did some fielding practice on Thursday and it "went well," according to manager Joe Espada. If McCullers feels good on Friday, he'll be an "option" to start against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. The 31-year-old will apparently skip a minor-league rehab assignment after recovering from a sprained right foot. The former first-rounder in 2012 made his return to the big leagues this year for the first time since 2022 due to various right-forearm injuries. McCullers has been up and down with a 4.91 ERA (4.23 FIP) and 1.43 WHIP in his seven starts over 29 1/3 innings pitched, but he's also struck out 39 and walked 16 as he works his way back into a full-time starter for Houston. With that said, fantasy managers would be wise to avoid him if his first start off the IL is this weekend against the Cubs.

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Washington Nationals pitching prospect Travis Sykora is being promoted to Double-A Harrisburg after breezing through his first eight starts of the season (two at Single-A, six at High-A). The 21-year-old got a late start after having offseason hip surgery, but has posted a 1.01 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, and an astounding 36.2 percent K-BB% with 56 strikeouts in only 35.2 innings pitched (14.13 K/9) since May 14. The Nats' top-ranked prospect posted similarly striking numbers last year at Single-A, tallying 129 Ks in 85 IP (13.66 K/9) with a 2.33 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP in 20 starts. If he can impress at Double-A, he couldbe on pace for a couple of starts at Triple-A beforethe season is out and would be knocking on the door to the majors in 2026. That being the case, fantasy managers in dynasty leagues should be looking to stash the 6-foot-6 hurler because he has the look of a frontline starter in the bigs.

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The Seattle Mariners placed first baseman Rowdy Tellez on unconditional release waivers on Thursday. Tellez was designated for assignment last week when the team activated first baseman/outfielder Luke Raley from the injured list. Tellez had been a decent source of power this season with 11 home runs in 221 plate appearances. However, he's also hitting .208 with one stolen base. Statcast suggests that Tellez was a little unlucky in Seattle. His barrel rate (15.9%) and hard-hit percentage (48.4%) were both career bests, and his xBA was .256. If Tellez finds a new home, he could be an under-the-radar waiver claim for deep-league fantasy managers needing power.

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Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (wrist) had another good day on Thursday and took 75 swings off a high-velocity machine, according to manager Rob Thomson. Harper will hit outside on Friday at Truist Park before the series opener against the division-rival Atlanta Braves and could face a live pitcher. If the 32-year-old two-time MVP comes out of that well, he could come off the 10-day injured list for Monday's series opener against the San Diego Padres without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. Harper will return to his role as Philly's starting first baseman, which will push Alec Bohm back across the diamond to third base and rookie Otto Kemp either to the bench or back to the minors. Harper will be returning to a .258/.368/.446 slash line with an .814 OPS, nine home runs, 34 RBI, 32 runs scored and eight steals in his 213 at-bats.

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San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt (wrist) is out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale at Oracle Park against the visiting Miami Marlins. Christian Koss is making the start at the hot corner and will bat seventh, while Brett Wisely starts at second base and hits in the eight-hole against Marlins right-hander Janson Junk. Schmitt took a pitch off his left wrist in the ninth inning of Wednesday's loss to the Fish and looked to be in a lot of pain. X-rays on the 26-year-old came back negative, though, so he could be ready for Friday's series finale in Chicago against the White Sox if the swelling in his hand goes down. The Giants have an off day on Thursday. Schmitt has become the regular at third in San Fran with Matt Chapman (hand) sidelined and has taken advantage, going 10-for-20 with a homer, double, RBI and seven runs scored in the last six games since June 19.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker (appendix) was placed on the 10-day injured list this week due to appendicitis, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports that he didn't require surgery. It's good news for Walker, but he probably still won't rejoin the big-league roster until after the All-Star break in mid-July. And when Walker does return from the IL, it remains to be seen if he'll see regular playing time after continuing to struggle at the major-league level at the plate. The 23-year-old former top prospect is hitting just .210 (37-for-176) with three home runs, 23 RBI, 21 runs, three steals, 12 walks and 63 strikeouts in 55 games played in 2025. The former first-rounder ranks in the 72nd percentile in hard-hit rate but is in the second percentile in strikeout rate and the 16th percentile in chase rate.

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Philadelphia Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will take a seat for Thursday's series finale in Houston against the Astros at Daikin Park. Rafael Marchan is behind the plate and will catch left-hander Cristopher Sanchez while hitting eighth against Astros right-hander Hunter Brown. The 34-year-old Realmuto will get a breather after playing in each of the team's last five games. Realmuto has gone hitless in his last three games but is hitting .288 (19-for-66) with three doubles, six RBI and a steal in 18 games in the month of June after a very slow start to the 2025 season for his standards. He's no longer one of the best catchers in fantasy, and his counting stats are way down with only five homers and 27 RBI in 66 games. Marchan doesn't really move the DFS fantasy needle. The 26-year-old switch-hitting backstop has gone 8-for-49 (.163) with one homer in limited playing time.

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Updating a previous report, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (intercostal) received a pain-relieving shot in his intercostal on Tuesday night, according to manager Oliver Marmol. It requires 48 hours of inactivity, which is why he was unavailable to play on Wednesday and Thursday. The Cardinals think they got ahead of any potential side injury and expect Nootbaar to play in Cleveland this weekend in a series against the Guardians, according to Jeff Jones. It's something to keep an eye on for the 27-year-old, who is currently in the midst of a modest six-game hitting streak in which he's gone 7-for-22 with three home runs, a double, seven RBI and three runs scored. Nootbaar is in the 93rd percentile in hard-hit rate this year and is right in the middle (50th percentile) in strikeout rate, so he should improve on his current .230 average as a starting outfielder with 20-plus-homer power.

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Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez is not in the team's starting lineup for the series finale on Thursday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays. Freddy Fermin will do the catching for right-hander Michael Lorenzen and will hit eighth against Rays right-hander Shane Baz. Perez gets a much-needed day of rest for the first time in over a month. The 35-year-old nine-time All-Star probably isn't going to hit for much of an average at this point in his career, but he can still provide elsewhere for fantasy managers and has nine home runs and 41 RBI in 76 games so far in 2025. He's hitting .265 (22-for-83) with five long balls, four doubles and 15 RBI in 21 games in the month of June. Fermin has limited power (two homers in 132 at-bats) and will be a low-upside DFS sleeper at catcher at the bottom of KC's batting order on Thursday.

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